"Top Chef" Finale: Playing Favorites?

One thing I can’t stand is being off my game. And there’s no doubt that a one-two punch of a head cold and some other yucky stuff has thrown me off my game big time this week…

Why else would it take me this long to comment on the “Top Chef: Las Vegas” finale?

Since my guy won, I should be jumping for joy—or at least as much jumping as my head will allow me. But I just can’t shake the feeling that the finale just didn’t quite measure up. That maybe the producers got so busy looking for a big dramatic ending that they forgot what makes the show so good to start with…

So in honor of the final four course meal here are my four problems with the “Top Chef” finale…

1) Not enough personal choice for the chefs
The first season of “Top Chef” I watched was season three. During that season, the finale featured the final three cooking “the best meal of their lives.” There was the added twist of an additional course, but it was still the chef’s decision what to make. They lived and died by their own choices. I know the show was trying to make it extra difficult so the choice for the judges would be easier, but I would have preferred to watch the most talented final three in show history just straight up cook rather than have to play games.

2) There was just too much stuff
The finale is supposed to be when the chefs stop all the challenges and just cook as best as they can. Not let’s give them a mystery box of ingredients. Then we’ll bring their moms in and add another course that will totally destroy any continuity to their menu. And we’ll make them do dessert. Plus we’ll draw knives for their sous chefs instead of letting them pick. There was just too much stuff and the food kind of got lost in all of it. Which leads me to…

3) Not enough time
If ever the show needed a supersized edition it was for the finale. But of course Bravo had to keep everything running on time to help out its new fashion competition—the far inferior “Launch My Line.” So not only did we not get to hear the judges discuss each course, we also didn’t get to hear their final discussion as to who the winner should be. Listening to Gail go over who won what course is one of my favorite parts. And I definitely could’ve listened to more of her putting Toby in his place.

4) It felt too much like a TV show.
I know that this is a television show and that everything that’s done is for the sake of the cameras. But it honestly never felt like that until this finale. Last week I asked Jennifer if she felt like she was getting steamrolled by the Voltaggio train. But it was Kevin who actually ended up getting run over by a group of producers who were obviously enthralled with the opportunity to showcase two brothers facing off. Why else bring in the chefs’ mothers? And for the first time in “Chef” history—that I know of—the third place chef was dismissed (a move that deeply hurt Kevin, by the way). Now I admit I teared up at seeing Bryan and Michael alone at Judges Table but it all seemed so set up. Like it was the producers’ plan from the beginning. I’m not saying Bryan and Michael didn’t deserve to be there, I just feel like too much of the finale revolved around them. And that wasn’t really fair. I’m almost surprised they didn’t dismiss two chefs in part one and make the final hour all about them. But I guess that would’ve been too obvious.

All that having been said, I still thought this season was a strong one. And I am happy that for the first time since I’ve been watching my favorite chef actually won. I just hate it when these shows play favorites…

Even if their favorite is mine too…

I’ll have much more on the “Top Chef” finale later when I share the final three’s comments including Bryan’s theory on what was wrong with my voice and why Michael told me he was confused when Padma said his name in the end…

Stay Tuned…

Photos Credit: Virginia Sherwood/Bravo